Turkish PM Says Coalitions Not Ideal, But Open to All Options

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday history had shown that coalition governments were not suitable for Turkey but that his ruling AK Party was open to all options.

"We've used the coalition eras of the 1970s and 1990s as an example to show that coalitions are not suitable for Turkey and we still stand by that stance," Davutoglu told a meeting of AKP local officials from around the country.

"However, with the current political picture, the only party that can come up with realistic solutions is the AKP ... We're open to any scenarios in Turkey based on the latest developments," Reuters quoted him as saying.

Davutoglu resigned on Tuesday in a procedural move following Sunday’s parliamentary election but is to remain in his post until a new government is formed, according to a statement published by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s office.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reeling from shock election results, on Tuesday accepted the resignation of the cabinet but asked the prime minister and his team to stay on until a new government is formed.

The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) failure in Sunday's polls to keep its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power in 2002 has left the country facing either a coalition government or snap elections.

Erdogan hosted Davutoglu for an hour of closed-door talks inside the vast new presidential palace in Ankara.

"Mr. President accepted today the resignation of the cabinet that was presented by Mr. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu," Erdogan's office said in a brief statement.

"Mr. President, who thanked the cabinet for its services so far, asked the cabinet to remain in charge until a new government is formed," it added.

A government source told AFP that the expected move was purely procedural and Erdogan would host Davutoglu again at a later date to discuss starting coalition talks with other parties.

There are however no straightforward coalition options, making snap elections a real possibility.

Erdogan can call snap elections within 45 days if efforts to form a coalition are unsuccessful.

The AKP won 41 percent of the vote, followed by the Republican People's Party (CHP) on 25 percent, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on 16.5 percent and the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) in fourth place with 13 percent.

The AKP will have 258 seats in the 550-seat parliament, the CHP 132, and the MHP and HDP 80 apiece.

The result was a huge blow for the AKP which has been largely unchallenged in its political dominance of Turkey over the last 13 years.